Vegetables, Tennis Balls, Wallet, and Watch
by Paranoid Emo Ranger
Summary: The adventures of the Lannister children when they were younger. Be aware that this is set in a different time setting and contains out of character moments. VERY AU. Chapter 4 is up! The kids go to Lannisport Mall and meet other characters on the way and of course ICE CREAM!
1. Vegetables

Summary: Lord Tywin wants his children to eat their vegetables and he won't let them get to bed if they don't swallow every last one. Be aware that this is set in a different time setting. AU and Out of Character moments.

**Chapter One: Vegetables**

The Lannister children were playing hide and seek in their home in Casterly Rock, a castle situated on top of a rock formation. Cersei was 'it' while her brothers Jaime and Tyrion hid somewhere in the castle. They were very fond of each other and promised that whatever happens in the future they would always help one another. Their father Lord Tywin is a strict disciplinarian (not to mention paranoid) who instills fear in his children who are both seventeen and Tyrion, seven years of age. The Lannister children know that he means well but he hardly even talk to them since his wife Joanna died giving birth to his youngest. Tywin rarely spoke of the lady and Tyrion thought best not to ask him about it but went to his older siblings who provided information about their mother. Wuffles, a white Scottish terrier was a present from their father to Tyrion during his seventh name day since he thought the boy needed companionship. He could remember Cersei complaining about it…

'This is not fair!' Cersei stomped her foot on the ground. 'Just because he's the youngest doesn't mean he gets to have a puppy for his name day.' She turned to her twin Jaime. 'Do you remember when we were seven and I asked father for a puppy and he said I can't have one because I'd just forget to feed it?'

'You should have asked him for a fish so when it died in your care we could grill it.' Jaime replied.

The blonde girl turned to her younger brother, bringing herself down to his level. 'I begged father for one and in the end he just gave me one of those boring dolls that when you open it there's another one exactly like it but smaller.'

'You broke it after three days and father got so mad he flogged you because he went all the way to Winterfell to get it.' Jaime added and smirked, so did Tyrion.

He snapped back into the present, Tyrion was in the kitchens at the moment with no one looking and he found the perfect hiding place just for him, it was a small barrel filled with strawberries that have just been harvested and brought into the castle from Lannisport. Tyrion immediately climbed into the barrel and ate some of the strawberries.

'Go away Wuffles! You'll give me away.' The white Scottish terrier went and disappeared.

Jaime was still unable to find the perfect hiding place and because he was in the stables Cersei would surely find him here. Not here he thought to himself and he went back up to the castle entering the lion's mouth. It was already getting dark.

Jaime made his way to the dining hall where the servants were preparing plates and silverware for the family and themselves. He did not want Cersei to find him first because he was 'it' the last time and Tyrion has never been 'it', not once.

'Ready or not here I come!' Cersei said and Jaime froze on his tracks, he had just remembered that she in the room above him counting all this time.

'Seven hells!'

He had no other option but to hide under the family table where he found Wuffles chasing his tail.

Timing could not have been worse when Lord Tywin entered the hall, tall and intimidating he wore a dark double breasted suit, his father went up to the family table accompanied by his uncle Kevan.

'Seven hells Wuffles!' he whispered to the dog. 'If father finds out I'm hiding under here he'll flog me into next week!' the dog did not seem to understand him because Wuffles started barking out of control and growling at him.

Jaime tried in vain to catch the white dog but Wuffles was out of his reach and got out from under the table.

'Wuffles!' said Kevan Lannister who crouched down to the dog who still barked and growled at Jaime's direction. 'Jaime?'

The seventeen year old closed his eyes and sighed heavily.

'What?' Lord Tywin asked and knocked down the nearest chair and found Jaime getting himself up from under the table.

Jaime now face to face with the man he feared the most.

'Father.' Jaime said to the man. 'Uncle Kevan.' He greeted the other.

'I will not ask what you've been doing down there as I'm sure your brother and sister will provide the details.'

Lord Tywin and his brother turned away from him for just a few minutes to discuss matters of great consequence when Cersei appeared and ran up to him.

'Found you!' she said loudly that the servants who were getting ready for dinner turned not to her but to their father.

'Father. Uncle.' She greeted.

'Hmmm.' Said Lord Tywin. 'And where is my youngest?' he asked looking back and forth at his twins.

'You see father, we were playing a game.' Jaime said but he was looking at his sister's direction.

'And Jaime and Tyrion…were hiding so I could find them and…' she was cut off from her explanation when Charlie the cook appeared with Tyrion by his side.

'Here he is my lord.' Said Charlie. 'Found him in the barrel of strawberries fresh from Lannisport.' Tyrion rolled his eyes.

'Leave us.'

'Yes my lord.'

'Come.' He told his youngest and Tyrion did so. Uncle Kevan picked up the chair for their father to sit on as the rest of the family sat on the table.

In under a few minutes the hall was filled with servants who served food. There were a lot of vegetables too, all three of them hated broccoli. Tyrion hated peas, Cersei hated spinach, Jaime was never a fan of carrots. The food on the table contained all fou of the foulest vegetables the Lannister children could think of.

Jaime and Tyrion were messy eaters, just like their Uncle Gerion who filmed them in his recorder since they were children. Their aunt Genna once commented on how Tywin's lack of affection for his children affected their table manners and when their uncle Gerion heard of this they bickered back and forth on how her theory made no sense.

'Go on, get some vegetables on your plates.' He told them and they were not as eager as they looked when they almost stabbed each other with their forks.

Dinner was almost over, the three Lannister children rose from their seats.

'Sit down.' Said Lord Tywin who then took a sip of his wine. 'You haven't eaten any of your vegetables.' He put down his glass and stood up. 'Lannisters always eat their vegetables. Now go on, clean your plates or none of you will get the comfort of a bed tonight.'

'But father uncle Gerion will be arriving from Pentos tomorrow at five o'clock you have to let us go to bed.' Said Cersei, always the first to complain. 'We're suppose to meet him at the docks.'

'You won't be able to meet him at the docks if you don't eat your vegetables.' Their father replied.

The Lannister children looked at each other oddly that their father noticed this and immediately threw penetrating stares at each one of them.

'Brother, I think you need to get them to bed.' Kevan said interrupting his older brother's uninterrupted stares. 'These things could probably lead to stomach problems.' Without warning, lord Tywin turned to his brother and stared at him for a long time.

'Leave us.' He said finally and without another word, Kevan Lannister rose up from his seat next to his brother and went out of the hall.

'We can do this all night.' He told his children.

'Do we have to?' asked Jaime. 'They taste weird.'

'Hmmm…'

'They do father.' Said Tyrion. 'Peas are disgusting.'

'Where did you learn that word Tyrion?' asked their father curiously.

The youngest of the siblings looked at the twins.

'Well…it's like when Cersei says that Wuffles has fleas and one of the fleas got lost and found his way to Cersei's hair and she scratches it and she says it's disgusting.'

'Tyrion!' said his sister angrily.

Their father smiled for a brief moment that only Tyrion saw it. Everyone knew he never smiled anymore.

Tyrion looked down on his shoes and found Wuffles looking up at him.

'Father's too busy talking about vegetables.' He said in his thoughts. Tyrion poured the contents of his plate under the table and Wuffles started eating

'I'm finished father.' Said Tyrion confidently, showing lord Tywin his plate.

'I see someone has finally changed his mind about vegetables.'

'How?' Jaime asked in a whisper.

Tyrion looked down under the table and Jaime saw the Scotty dog eating his brother's food. He wasted no time and also poured the contents of his plate under the table.

'I'm finished too father.'

Their father said nothing at first.

'Good.'

Cersei elbowed her twin on the rib with a very frantic look.

Just then someone bursted into the hall, and walked briskly up to the family table.

'My lord, a rider in the night it's from your sister lady Genna.' The man handed him the parchment.

Jaime took her plate and poured the vegetables under the table and immediately gave her the plate back.

'Ah, it seems you've a new cousin she wanted to name him Tiberius but the Freys decided to name him Cleos.' He looked disappointed. 'What a terrible name.'

It wasn't really terrible; it was just a weird name like a scientific term for a wart.

'We better get to bed father, it's getting rather late.' Said Cersei who smiled at him.

All his three children rose up from their chairs and strangely enough gave him a hug.

'Good night father.' They said in unison and walked out of the dining hall with Wuffles in tow.

Lord Tywin took a sip from his glass and was deep in thought.

'Oh my love, if you could see our children now.' He stretched out one of his long legs under the table and felt something. He looked down only to see vegetables he forced his children to consume scattered all over the place.

'What the…'

Perhaps he needed to buy the new book Kevan has been talking to him about called 'How to be a Better Father to your Children' by Lord Rickard Stark.

**Author's note:** please review and tell me if you want more. I'm planning for this to be in four chapters. I accept flames. And I don't know if they have Scotty dogs in Westeros.


	2. Tennis Balls

**Chapter Two: Tennis Balls **

"Father! Father! Hurry! we have to be there before the ship arrives!" said Cersei as she and Tyrion tugged on his sleeve while he was fixing his necktie. "Come on! Don't be such an old man!" it was then that their father stared her down. "I'm sorry." She said, feeling a little guilty.

"Alright, go ahead I'll meet you in the car." The lord of Lannister told his children. "Make sure Jaime's not doing anything stupid." He added and Cersei and Tyrion left, before they were out of sight he noticed that his daughter held out her hand to his youngest and he held it on their way out. Dammit! You're supposed to be lord Tywin of House Lannister not some sappy family man! He told himself as he picked up his fedora and followed his children outside.

"Father, may I drive?" asked Jaime Lannister. "Uncle Kevan has been teaching me." The day was just starting out and now his son wanted to drive the car, his car.

"Absolutely not now get out of the driver's seat." He told his son and Jaime obeyed.

On the way to the harbor he had experienced at first hand how noisy it is to have a child, let alone three who won't do as you say and when they do they make you feel guilty. Maybe just a little. They were playing another game that involved a lot of gibberish words. Tywin was sure that they were doing this so he won't be able to understand what they were saying.

"Ofashemer minks im nombry." Said Jaime from the front seat, it translated to 'Father thinks we're noisy.' In their invented language.

"E nawm." Replied Cersei and Tyrion, they were looking at their father and they often felt that he had eyes on the back of his head and so they looked down. 'I know.' Was the translation.

Jaime reached for the radio and Tywin swatted his hand away.

"There will be no revolting noise that you call music." He said, as strict as he always was, he furrowed his brow and in the corner of his eye he could see Jaime imitate him. "And there will be no noise at all."

Cersei and Tyrion started flashing hand signals at Jaime that he could see from the rear view mirror. Nobody has a family like this! Nobody in the whole world! He sighed and his children sighed as well, imitating him. Tywin made a mental note to ask Kevan to buy him that book by Lord Rickard Stark called 'How to be a Better Father to your Children' and he wondered if they had a single-father's edition.

"Don't mock me, I know about the vegetables you all decided to place under the family table." He told them, Tyrion looked at Cersei worried that he might get flogged. "Tyrion is there something you'd like to say?" he asked, and the seven year old was getting panicky. "I promise I won't get mad." His three children were confused and a little suspicious because of the way he said these words, it was calm, the way that a father's voice should be when he is around his children and it was not as commanding as before.

"It was me father." Tyrion said looking down at his shoes.

"I know." He made a left turn.

"Then why did you make me admit it?" the boy asked.

"Because…" because what Tywin? "Because…" because it's what your mother would have wanted you to do and because it was the right thing to do.

"Because what father?" asked Tyrion innocently, Jaime and Cersei were both listening in as to whatever it was he was going to say.

"Because we're here now." He pulled over the car and the children immediately got out of the vehicle. The ship was fast approaching, and it was only a few minutes from now that he would see his brother Gerion again.

Gerion was only a few inches shorter than he was but the Lannister beauty was there and Gerion was never shy to show it off. The children ran to his younger brother and he noticed that they never did that with him. The Lannister lord sighed again watching his brother give Cersei a peck on the cheek, a handshake to Jaime and a hug to Tyrion. Gerion approached him and gave him a hand shake.

"Brother, I've missed you! I've missed you all!" he said approaching Tywin. "And as always, I come bearing gifts from Pentos!"

"Come on, get in the car you can open it on the way home." He told his children and they obeyed without a word, looking glum like he ruined the best day of their lives. "How was your trip?" he asked.

"It was great! I like the adventures I had and I picked up something just for you!" he said mischeviously.

"I can't wait to know what it is." He said sarcastically.

Gerion took this literally and opened his bag of gifts, he fished out a hardbound book, it was new.

"I met Lord Rickard Stark and I asked him to sign it!" Gerion said excitedly. "I'm so happy that you're finally going to be a real father, not just in the biological sense."

He now found out that they had a single father's edition.

Jaime placed Gerion's luggage in the trunk and Tywin chucked the book in before the boy closed it.

On their way back home the children sat on the back while his brother sat beside him in the front. Gerion was busy distributing gifts to his nephews and niece. There was lemon flavored candy, and peppermint, there was chocolate that tasted odd and foul, and of course the children's favorite candy was called Dragon Eggs, it was a brand of jawbreakers that change colors when sucked but still in the shape of mini dragon eggs. Tywin remembered the day Jaime, Cersei and Tyrion got back home early from school because they were placing schools in quarantine.

"Good afternoon father." They greeted together as they entered the living room, all three of them were sucking on something.

"Why are you home early?" he asked immediately.

"Our school is in quarantine, they said that it was because of the grey scales epidemic." Replied Cersei, he could see her tongue in an odd color the same goes for Jaime and Tyrion.

"Why are all your tongues in an odd color?"

"Oh! We bought Dragon Eggs on our way over here they're really good!" replied Jaime.

"The lady at the store said that we could have the gold colored ones because it matches our hair." The youngest of the children said, looking up at their father who towered over all of them.

"It's a jawbreaker father." Said Cersei to make things clear. "We can't eat it whole because it would break our jaws and our teeth."

Gerion was now taking something out of his bag and gave it to Tyrion.

"Tyrion, this is a paddleball." It was a wooded paddle that had a ball attached to it with a string. "You hit the ball with the paddle and the string helps keep it where it is, it's an brilliant invention in my opinion." Their uncle said as he fished out two larger versions of the paddle but instead of it being made of wood, it was carbon fiber that had nylon strings that were sewed on to it. He also handed them three green balls.

"What is it?" asked Cersei, curious.

'Why it's a tennis racket, and these are tennis balls."

"Why are there only two rackets? Don't I get my own?" asked Tyrion, feeling left out.

"Well I don't want you to get hurt and you've had more presents than anyone else." Gerion told his nephew and that made Tyrion happy.

"What do we do with it?" Jaime asked this time.

"Oh you're all very resourceful children I'm sure you'll find out soon." He replied with a smile.

It had been three days since their uncle arrived but Jaime and Cersei were still trying to figure out what to do with their gifts while Tyrion was already trying to break the Westeros record for the longest paddle on a paddle ball. The twins felt like they were suppose to hit someone with it. They were in the courtyard.

"What are we supposed to do really?" Jaime asked.

"I think you're suppose to hit the green balls with it, just one but you two need to be on the opposite side from each other. Far from each other." Said Tyrion, the twins tried it and in no time all three of them we're having fun. Tyrion liked watching the ball go back and forth then back and forth but he had a feeling that his brother and sister were going to get bored of it in no time.

He was in the balcony when he saw all of it while reading the book Gerion gave him. Tywin was already in chapter three entitled Kinds of Fathers.

_Let's face it, we all want what's best for our children but the way that things are or have always been make you overprotective of them and the environment that surrounds them. As a father you are especially responsible not just on how they view life but also on the outcome of their lives, it is your responsibility to also influence them on the way so that they will be compitent in the future. Below is a list of the kinds of fathers._

_Kind Father- He is a good natured man who does care deeply about his children and sees great potential in each of them. The kind father tries to understand his children and maintains a close relationship with them. He gives them encouragement and confidence._

_Downside: the kind father is often too kind and does not use strict disciplinary measures when a child does something wrong._

_Overprotective Father- He finds it unbearable for his children to get hurt and treats them like children even if they are already grown. He calls them constantly to find out what is going on. The overprotective father is also strict and does not like it when he is told that his love is killing his children. He immediately percieves this as a misinterpretation for his actions._

_Downside: the overprotective father is often paranoid, he is apalled that he is left with the duty to be both father and mother for his children._

_Meek Father- He allows other grown ups to dictate his next move, and is often weak in handling his children which sometimes results to them getting whatever they want. He does everything they want because he loves them too much._

_Downside: the meek father has good intentions but his inability to take disciplinary actions poses a threat of his children growing dependent of him in the future._

_Strict/Distant/Tough Father- He has a hard time showing his children how much he loves them. He is a strict disciplinarian and does not want his children to be dependent on him when they grow up so he sets high expectations of them without the traits of a kind father. His distance shows that he is a hardworking man who takes his family seriously and never loses face in an argument. He has a tough exterior and interior because he allows his children to make their own mistakes and learn from it. _

_Downside: Children of the strict/distant/tough father often find it hard to win his approval and his love. His high expectations are often the source of this._

_Reach high expectations=Win love and approval_

He closed the book for a moment. He never thought of it that way.

BAM!

He fell to the floor with the book flying out of his hand.

"Father! Are you alright?"

**A/N:** I know that this has a lot of Out of Character moments so I hope you don't mind. The Kinds of Fathers part was all made up I did not base it on anyone's work, it just came in a sudden rush. I know that I said I was doing only four chapters on the first one but I think there will be more. Review guys!


	3. Tennis Balls II

**Chapter Three: Wallet**

"Father! Are you alright?" his children asked as they went to his side.

"No I am not." He replied as his children helped him to his feet and guide him back inside.

"I'm sorry father." His teenage son apologized. "It was me."

They did not hear a reply, but Tyrion sat by his side and handed him the book, he immediately placed it on his bedside table.

"Are you hurt?" asked Tyrion softly.

"Just shaken." Tywin replied.

The children looked around the room, it was simple but elegant. The drapes were in Lannister gold and crimson, and so was the carpet. There were no photographs of their mother or them for that matter, in fact here were no photographs at all. The twins had not been in here for seven years while this was Tyrion's first time in his father's room.

"Get out." He said cold and distant. "All of you." He added and the Lannister children filed out of their father's room.

When they went down the stairs they were immediately in conversation.

"There were no pictures of her," Tyrion said. "Why?"

"There were no pictures of us either." Said Jaime.

He and Tyrion both waited for Cersei's reaction.

"I don't understand, father loved her very deeply…" She wanted to cry but did not want to so that Tyrion would not feel as though it was all his fault. "I know, I have a brilliant plan!"

Her brothers gave each other the 'Oh-oh' look.

Cersei rushed to her bedroom two floors down that Jaime had to carry Tyrion in his arms so they could both keep up. When they entered her room she was looking at pictures that their uncle Gerion took of her and Jaime and their mother, she handed it to Tyrion.

"Tyrion, look at mother isn't she pretty?" She still used the word isn't instead of wasn't.

"She really was, she's beautiful!" he replied smiling at the picture but also he was sad.

The box was full of old photos from almost a decade mostly with the twins but it was the sweet photograph that he really loved of their parents in casual clothes, their arms around each other and they were smiling. Tyrion wondered what would have been if she was still alive.

"Cersei, what would mother always say to you and Jaime?" he asked, still looking at the photograph as though she would suddenly come to life.

"She used to say that we were very lucky children because we have clothes on our backs." It was Jaime who replied.

"She used to say how much she loved us, she said that she loved us so much that even if the sun exploded, the eight minutes that takes for the light to travel to us would be extend to eternity and that her love would still feel warm." She explained but she had no idea what it meant at that time.

There was silence. Tyrion positioned himself in the middle of the bed while the twins sat up on both his sides.

"and what would she say to father?"

"She would say that she loved him deeply, she said that if she was never around father would be a very miserable man." She was crying now, and trying to hold back the tears only made her brothers follow her lead. There was a long silence when someone suddenly burst into the room.

"Cersei, Jaime, Tyrion why all the tears? Your old man is perfectly alright." Uncle Gerion said, as they wiped their tears. "What is the matter?" he looked at all the old photographs that he had given them when they were younger. "Oh" he said as he examined all the pictures that he had taken back then. "Why don't you make your father a collage? Of your mother of course and don't tell me that it's a bad idea, he misses her very much too but he can't show that side of himself to anyone." He said clearly as though it was a story.

"Why?" Asked Tyrion, while the twins already knew why.

"Because he has to be strong, and brave for you and he doesn't want to worry you. I know that your father doesn't seem like the kind of man to give you a hug everyday but he is trying by gods old and new he is trying." Gerion explained as Wuffles showed up and hopped up on the bed.

"It was really nice of father to give Tyrion a dog for his birthday." Said Cersei as she patted the dog on the head.

"I know, have you ever heard of the story of how he got the idea of getting Wuffles as a present?" He sat on the floor and looked up at the children, he began by clearing his throat while the three of them sat upright to hear him. "Well, somehow your father desperately needed to do something and when I asked him what it was, he said he did not know but that this something was coming soon." The children smiled in amusement. "I said 'brother tell me what it is? Let's take a walk to Lannisport so you can remember.' And so we went out and walked and walked and walked some more for almost four hours until we passed by this pet store. He turned to me and said 'I've got it!' and he dashed inside the quiet pet store and found a pen full of white scotty dog puppies being fed by their mother. I didn't understand it at first because when he found them, he still looked unhappy, and tired but he turned to me and said. 'Gerion, three weeks from now is Tyrion's birthday do you think…' 'Of course brother! He would like one! That's very sweet of you.' I wanted to hug him but he wouldn't let me. We bought the smallest one, but your father instructed the clerk that he would be fetching Wuffles on the day of your birthday."

"But he didn't give Wuffles to me himself, it would have been very nice if he did." Tyrion said as he hugged the dog. "He wrote a letter saying that it was time for me to learn how to be responsible."

"And indeed you learned to be responsible."

"Maybe we should make a collage for father." Said Jaime. "It's a good idea."

"I agree." Said their uncle with a very approving smile.

"Okay." Said Tyrion and Cersei.

**That night…**

Tyrion was still looking at the picture that Cersei had given him, but he was now in his own room. He was under the sheets with a flashlight when he could hear a creek of the floorboards just outside his bedroom door. Tyrion hid the picture under his pillow and turned off the flashlight, just as the door opened.

The sound of the shoes made it clear that it was his father. He could feel the man sitting on the edge of the bed. He was quiet while Tyrion tried hard not to make it known that he was pretending to be asleep. The man ran a hand through his son's golden locks and sighed.

"I know you're not asleep." He said, the seven-year old had no idea how on earth he knew. "and I know that you know about the book I've been reading." His voice rich and sophisticated.

"Why do you need a book to tell you what to do?" Tyrion suddenly asked as he finally opened his eyes to face his father, but within just a second he looked away. "Why can't you just say I love you?" he desperately wanted father to love him, not just say it but also show it. Tyrion sat up and gazed up at Tywin's eyes and there he saw a tear roll down his chiseled face. His father showed a lot of self-control that even crying was not a sudden uncontrollable emotion.

"Go to sleep." The older man said Tyrion sat up and gave him a hug. A real hug and it felt good.

"Good night father." Tyrion said still hugging him just as Wuffles entered and approached the bed.

"Good night Tyrion and go to sleep." His father replied and placed Wuffles on the bed and tucked in his son.

"Father?" he said. "What would mother think of my being responsible at seven years old?"

"She'd have been very proud, just like I am." He ran another hand through Tyrion's hair. "Go to sleep." With that he left his side and went out the door.

Hehehehe…tricked father into telling me the truth! He thought to himself with a smile as he made himself comfortable. Wait till the twins hear about this!

**A few days later…**

"Brother, do you know that the children love you very much?" asked Gerion in one of their late walks.

"I'm not aware of that." Tywin replied. "They seem to try very hard at breaking every rule I tell them to obey."

"That's because they want your full attention." Said the younger Lannister. "Jaime needs someone to show him how to be a man, a man who's strong, Cersei needs a father who can tell all the boys to wait until she's nineteen and Tyrion just wants you to love him brother, he tries very hard because he's never gotten it from you." Gerion said to his brother's face. "It hurts me to be the one to tell you but you are a terrible father!"

"Don't start this again Gerion."

"I'm telling you this because I've got to! And you need to listen to what I'm saying or those children will turn themselves against you when they get older!"said Gerion, this was a sudden brilliant plan. He wouldn't even know what hit him! "Think about it." Then he left.

**A few more days later…**

"Is it ready?" asked Cersei, excited for what they were about to shoe their father.

"Yes it is!" Said her brothers in unison.

It was not a collage, but a recycled book that they pasted on many pictures of their mother starting from her childhood. Uncle Kevan and Aunt Genna had given them pictures of their late mother. It was beautiful because Tyrion had made pop-up like pages.

"Do you think father will like it?" asked Tyrion who tied the strings on the front of the book.

"Of course he will." Said the twins together.

"I hope you're right." Said Tyrion as they made their way downstairs to father's office where he mostly stayed even during the nights.

Jaime knocked on the half open door.

"Father?" He asked. "We have something for you, may we come in?"

"Just leave it on my desk." Tywin replied, busy studying the figures.

"No we want to give it to you personally." Said Cersei, she signaled Jaime to bring it in.

What Tywin saw was a book of old photographs of his late wife lady Joanna, there was an old photograph of them just before the twins were born.

Before the Lannister children knew it, their father clicked his teeth like there was something he regretted doing many years ago. Were they too much in a rush?


	4. Life Beyond the Rock

**Chapter Four: Life Beyond the Rock**

Today was a sunny day, and it was the third year of the sunny season after eleven years of fall. Tyrion Jaime and Cersei drove uncle Gerion's old motorcycle to the Lannisport mall where they spent time with their friends, although Tyrion has no friends and Jaime and Cersei weren't exactly popular among them the Lannister children were usually found in the lemonade stand where they looked at people and guessed their future.

"That kid is going to be a politician when she grows up." Said Tyrion when they saw a little girl with glasses pass them by while Cersei was doing her make-up.

"How would you know?" asked Jaime with a smile.

"I just feel it."

His siblings laughed.

The past week they found themselves alienated at home for father did not show up for either breakfast, lunch or dinner and uncle Gerion has spent all week with his daughter Joy Hill. The siblings felt bad for their father, but uncle Gerion assured them that he was just going through a phrase in his life and said that 'One in a while when you're at your father's age you go through a phase.' Whatever that means and neither did they understand it.

"Can we get ice cream?" asked Tyrion.

"You've had two cups of lemonade, I think that's enough for today." Said Cersei, making Tyrion feel awful. "Don't frown baby brother, it's for your own good."

"We definitely should get some lunch." Suggested Jaime who was looking at his watch.

"I feel tired." Said Tyrion.

"That's because you didn't eat anything before we went here." Replied Cersei. "Now you see what happens when you don't eat? Didn't father ever tell you not to leave the house without eating any breakfast?" asked his sister.

"He did but I wasn't hungry."

"Come on." Said Jaime.

They all rose up from the table and left for the food court.

**Meanwhile in Casterly Rock…**

The house was oddly quiet today he would have thought that the children would be outside playing tennis but they were out of sight. Tywin was getting worried; he had given them his trust to go outside the rock to meet their friends under the condition that they ask permission but they had not obeyed him. Surely they would have asked first before setting out into the outside world but they failed to do so for such a simple task.

Tywin went up and down the stairs making a mess of the rooms, looking for any sign of where they might have gone to but all he found were cigarettes in Jaime's trash can, a dozen of empty bottles vodka in Cersei's room and a picture of his younger self and Joanna under Tyrion's pillow.

Where were they?! He was going to have to call Kevan, he always knew where to find the children when he could not and he would have called Gerion too but he was out of town with Joy.

He quickly searched Kevan's number on his Crow Note 5 and pressed the call button.

"Kevan? I've lost the children I can't find them anywhere in the house." Said Tywin trying hard not to sound desperate but his voice betrayed him.

"_Chill Ty, they must be in the grounds somewhere."_

He must have been on those Braavosi brownies again for calling him Ty, he thought to himself.

"They're not! I've searched everywhere!"

"_Haven't you thought of calling them on your phone? You do have their numbers right?"_

Now why didn't I think of that in the first place?

"_You didn't, did you? Listen Ty I'm really happy that you're-"_

"Alright, thank you Kevan." He immediately hung up and dialed Cersei's phone.

**Meanwhile at the Lannisport Mall Food Court…**

Tyrion was smaller than the other seven year olds and unlike the Lannister table back home where he could place books to reach his plate he had none today so his siblings had to feed him. They chose a very secluded area of the food court where no one could see them. Jaime ordered mushed potatoes for him and Cersei bought him grapes and spaghetti which was his favorite. Jaime ordered fish and Cersei had cesar salad.

"Tyrion! Here comes the dragon!" Jaime said giving a spoon full of mushed potatoes and making dragon noises. "AAAAGGGHHH!"

"Jaime don't, I'm seven for Aegon's sake!" as he took the spoonful of mushed potatoes that Jaime offered.

"Oh so you're old enough for dragon noises?"

Cersei phone rang to the beat of 'The Rains of Castemere'.

"It's father." She said and pressed the loudspeaker button. "Hello father."

"_Where are you?" _

"We're in the Lannistport Mall father." Replied Cersei.

"_Jaime and Tyrion are with you?"_

"Yes we are, why?" asked Jaime.

"_Is Tyrion alright? Have you all eaten lunch yet?"_

"Yes I am father, Jaime and Cersei bought me spaghetti and grapes and mushed potatoes."

"_Your favorites." _

"Oh yes, he's enjoying his food." Replied Cersei.

"_Make sure he drinks a lot of liquid and that goes for you and Jaime too."_

"Okay father." Said Jaime.

"_And be home by six o'clock."_

"Of course father."

"_Alright just take care of yourselves, especially Tyrion."_

"We will."

They both hung up at the same time.

"What's with him?" asked her brothers in unison.

"I think he's worried that's all."

"Father?"

"Worried?"

"I know the two words don't add up but he sounds like it."Cersei mixed the grapes with the spaghetti and gave a fork of it to Tyrion which he ate gladly.

"Mmm…spaghetti and grapes taste ssooo yummy!" Tyrion said putting his two little hands on his lips to savour the taste.

Jaime and Cersei laughed out loud.

**After Lunch…**

The Lannister children went to the Game Zone where they played games and won tickets they finally won a stuffed lion cub which Jaime and Cersei gave to Tyrion.

"Would you like to go on the merry-go-round Tyrion?" asked Cersei, the little lion frowned. "Come on, it'll be like riding a real horse."

"Except it goes around in circles you mean?" Jaime asked sarcastically that Tyrion had to laugh.

"Come on baby brother you have to try it sometime." Said Cersei. "What are you going to tell all your friends when you talk about your childhood?"

"But I'll never have any friends."

"Oh please!" Cersei said snapping her fingers. "You're the sweetest baby brother in the world and you're such a sneak."

"If it makes you go Cersei and I can ride on the merry-go-round too." Said Jaime and Tyrion's eyes widened.

"You'd do that for me?"

He had a huge smile on his face that Cersei could not refuse.

The merry-go-round was a wonderful experience for the three of them especially for Tyrion's first ride. Cersei took pictures on her phone and they were happy that Tyrion agreed to ride for the first time.

The trouble came when they all got out of the ride when Rhaegar Targaryen and his friends showed up in front of them.

"Who's the midget?" asked one of Rhaegar's friends. "Can we we use him as a ball?" reaching out to take hold of Tyrion.

"Excuse me?" said Cersei clearly offended that she pulled Tyrion to her side, wanted to ring his neck, scratch his eyes out, and feed him to the lions! "You say that again and I'll skin you alive."

"Get out of our way Targ." Said Jaime, he was preparing to fight.

"Take a chill pill Lannister." Said Rhaegar's girlfriend. "Shouldn't you all be going back home to daddy?"

"Don't say that baby; they know their father is only second to my father." Said Rhaegar. "Everyone knows that."

Cersei could not say a thing for Rhaegar was the boy of her dreams, Jaime did not approve of course and Tyrion was too young to understand.

"He's cheating on you with Lyanna Stark!" said Jaime out loud that everyone around looked at them.

"Go home Lannisters! Go back to the deepest pit of the Rock!" People started chanting. "Get out of here! Go back to daddy!"

Jaime took a swift punch at Rhaegar, but no one was surprised because everyone in high school knew that he had a temper.

Jeor Mormont appeared before them, he was a tired looking man in his forties. He turned to his son who appeared out of nowhere with the Starks.

"You could have prevented this." He told his son Jorah. "Alright kids come with me." He motioned for the Lannister siblings who followed him to his office.

**That evening at Casterly Rock…**

They all sat down for dinner with their father for the first time in a week. He looked tired and worn out but he still had that stern look on his face. They knew he knew about what happened at the mall.

"Didn't I tell you to take care of yourselves?" asked their father.

"But we did, we were defending the family's honor." Said Jaime. "They were insulting Tyrion."

"That is commendable but Lannisters do not act like fools." He said in his deep rich voice. "Especially in public did you know I've been getting calls from Targaryen's office all afternoon because of your little display in the mall?"

Jaime shook his head sideways.

"No television, no going out to the mall, no eating junk, no tennis, no more inventions Tyrion, no more extra gold, and I definitely do not want to hear about Rhaegar Targaryen again."

"Yes father." Said the children in unison.

"You will accompany in my work in the next few weeks after school in the afternoons is that understood?"

"Yes father."

There was silence in the room and tensions were incredibly high.

"Now for dessert would you like some ice cream?" asked Tywin.

His children all had huge smiles on their faces.

"ICE CREAM!" The children yelled.

Maybe father was finally trying to connect with them and he knew exactly how.


End file.
